On Raven Wings
by Alaster Boneman
Summary: Over the last week Seven of Nine has being plagued be horrific nightmares, where she is stocked though a long dead ship by phantoms that dog her ever step and a great black bird that seems to be guiding her towards something she doesn't wont find and guarding her from the ravages of the dream, is it all really just a dream or is it a sign of things best left in the past?
1. Chapter 1

16

 **On raven wings**

AN: this is my second attempt at writing a Star Trek Voyager fan fiction let us hope it turns out better the my first story the Devil you know. I consider that story a failure but let us not get bogged down instead let us embrace the spirt of Gene Roddenberry and look to the future.

Oh if anyone is expecting to see those aliens from the episode in this story, I may mention them in passing but other than that I'm going to leave them out as they were the definition of an artificial threat. They existed to create a road block for the Voyager crew and nothing more. The show's writers should have concentrated on Seven of Nine's struggle instead of some bureaucratic ass holes that were completely irrelevant to the plot.

I do not own Star Trek and even if I did I don't know what I would do with it.

 **Chapter one: Dreaming Shadows**

'Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.' The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

A tall shapely woman sprinted heedlessly through dark, cramped corridors of a ruined vessel. Her alabaster skin was glassy from sweat that ran down her pail flesh. It made the tight dark red bio suit she wore; cling to the contours of her body. Her golden hair had come loose of the multiple hair pin that held its length in place and now was plastering to her skin.

The realm twisted around her; a moment ago she ran down a hallway of rusted metals and long faded colors which seemed to go on forever. Now she seemed to be in a well maintained federation space craft and had come to a fork in the corridor. She leaned heavily on the middle wall that split the corridor. She panted heavily as she tried desperately to catch her breath and decided which path she should take.

While she pondered the environment twisted and reshaped again, the dull greys and somber blues of the Federation craft were replaced with row upon rows of Borg alcoves and consoles. Vile green light poured from every piece of technology that filled the corridor.

A sickening sense of dread filled her as she found herself inside of a Borg craft. Dark hall ways split off in every conceivable direction, each identical to the one she now occupied. Not long ago she would have being 'at ease' in such surroundings if that was the correct term for it but instead fear an emotion she had grown far too aware of filled her.

'This is irrational; she had nothing to fear from the Borg. They would never hurt one of their own…they wouldn't hurt her' Seven of Nine told her self firmly but she was unable to quiet the errant emotion as it grew and grew within her making her heart pound. She sensed something… an almost unperceivable change in this…place, a new dread creeped into her very being. Acting on an instinct that she could not quantify, Seven turned to look over her shoulder. The realm changed again the Borg technology giving way to rusted and ruined halls, broken cables and wires spilling out of rusted holes. Pale light poured from the cracks that rust had eaten though the ceiling. From somewhere outside a powerful wind rattled the frail frame of the derelict bringing with it a low but constant moan.

Her ordered mind was unable to comprehend the impossible of this realm that had hunted her for the past four of her regeneration cycles. Despite her every effort to try and find the flaw or malfunction that was the course of this delusion and correct it, as soon as she returned to her alcove she would find herself trapped in this ever changing realm.

Despite her every effort she could not stop her breath catching from in her throat as she saw 'it' appear at the end of the ruined hall way, a writhing vail of near complete darkness. The only light that shone from within was a ghostly pail green illumination that accompanied Borg technology. The shadow moved and rolled like the waves of a vast ocean, hulking forms moved within, each a mockery of the Borg drones that had until recently surrounded her whole life. To call what the shadows did, movement in the conventional sense would be a false hood. The formless mass jilted and spammed ebbed and flowed, the things that had the outwardly appearance of drones, twitched and writhed within the mass lacking any kind of substance.

A sense of wrongness radiated from the writhing mass of darkness, as did a faint yet constant whisper just above the moan of the phantom wind. The voices hung in the air like mist, calling out to her both her human name and her Borg designation. Each felt like hot blades cutting into her mind. Some begged her to run while others commanded her compliance.

The formless mass moved and shifted almost as if it was alive, crawling up the corridor as it had done in all of her previous regeneration cycles it pursued her relentlessly. Seven fought down the fear that clung to every atom of her very being and faced the shadows. She stepped away from the corner of the hall way that she clung to like lost child into a shaft of light from above.

She stood there from a moment in the pale light, her left eye was forced to adjust as the light from above glinted on the curved implant that was the outer armour for her ocular implant, or as her coworkers had come to call it her 'Borg eye brow'. The light also glinted off the small semi star implant that emerged from her check just below her left right ear and the slivery gantlet that covered much of her left hand, which she had closed into a fist. Fear and other emotions briefly danced across her face before she steeled herself.

She would not flee from this illusion as she had done before. 'She was Borg at least partly she would not fear', she told herself even as her errant human emotions practically screamed at her to run to flee to find some dark corner in which to hide as the shadows crept towards her. "Identify yourself!" Seven called out, her voice clear and precise but she was unable to halt the slight tremor that ran though her. For long moments the only reply was the never ending whispers.

The mass swirled like smoke, creating impossible patterns as it writhed and pulsed. An unearthly loud sound penetrated the gloom which drowned out all other noises. "Annika" and with that call to her long submerged humanity the owner's form swept through the impenetrable darkness.

He came flapping his great ebony wings dispelling the darkness for a moment as if it was nothing more than heated breath upon a cooled surface. His eyes were as Icey and blue as a boundless as the sky. His feathers were as black as the void of space. His long powerful wings carried him effortlessly through the air. His long black legs were tucked under his massive bulk. He had a powerful beak with a slightly curved hook tip, perfectly adapted to tear flesh. As she bet his seeming ageless eyes it was almost as if this avian had witness the passage of endless ages and endless tragedies but there was more than pain in those blue depths more than suffering, something that could almost be kindness.

The great black avian radiated power and grace that shook Seven to the core, for reasons she could not fully understand she was certain, this avian was indeed male. He let out a long mournful almost wailing "Caw" in that cry was every particle of pain and loss she had or would ever be exposed to. This simple avian knew her, he knew her better then she knew herself and that single fact evaporated away her resolve in an instant.

Seven turned away from the bird and fled down the twisting hallways of this delusional realm, she knew without looking he was right behind fallowing her like a shadow.

"Annika…!" he called out, his voice now was deep and rumbling. Almost as if in response to his call the other voices screamed at her, again some telling her to run and hide while others commanded her to complete some unknowable task.

She ran down endless shifting corridors. The shadows grew longer hunting her. It took all of her enhanced human physique to stay ahead of the chaos. Cold hands tainted by Borg implants, reached out of the darkness trying to drag her back, to be enveloped by the void. The whispering had grown progressively more intense as she ran; it felt like claws ripping at her mind tempting her to give in to its call. They promised that all the pain and chaos, loss and confusion would end if she just gave in.

She would not, she could not stop running… there was no other choice. Seven felt the gossamer touch of the bird as he flew next to her. Her eyes met his she saw an unknowable intention held within their blue depths. As soon as her muscles started to burn with exhaustion, the avian clawed and pecked at her neck urging her on, keeping her away from the shadowy lumbering forms that sifted between reality and nonexistence. She somehow knew that he did not wish her harm but it was clear, that he was pushing her towards somewhere…

She panted heavily barely able to keep ahead of the shadowy drones that dogged her ever step "Leave me alone" she cried franticly. The shadows were mere millimeters behind her, a Borg hand gripped her right arm and would have dragged her into the writing darkness if it was not for the Avian racking the hand with his powerful beak. The shadowy drone dissipated like mist caught by a whirlwind. The sudden release caused Seven to tumble through a door that had not being there a moment ago.

Seven fell into an area of the ship she had never come upon before. The Avian flew past her and perched upon the sill that surrounded the small view screen which displayed a panoramic view of space. Bright pinpricks of stars and other celestial bodies in a never ending void sped past. He watched her intently.

She eyed the black Avian wearily as she picked herself off the ground. She looked around her surroundings to find they were no longer shifting. She had somehow found herself in a maintained if not small bridge. For a moment she though it to be Voyagers bridge but it was far too small and cramped. Large computer banks and consoles lined the walls. All of which were obsolete by Federation standards. A strange emotion that she was not familiar with permeated her being as she studied the bridge lay out she found herself oddly drawn to a large helm console in particular that sat in the middle of the room. She resisted the urge to go near the console…she came to the realization that she knew this place.

As if stirred into being by this revelation, faint figures moved all around her. They were misty featureless specters, like this place they too seemed familiar to her but she lacked the capacity to understand what they meant to her. They flitted about like dust drifting though shafts of light, one moment they were there and the next moment they were gone.

The whispers grew progressively louder, turning to full on shriek. Seven turned to see that the hall ways beyond were completely consumed by darkness. She clutched her ears to try and blot out the noise. She might as well have tried to blot an atmospheric storm for all the good it did. The wailing scream of someone or something calling her, bringing her to her knees, tears of pain started to flow from her right human eye.

In an effort to resist the noise that clawed and tore at her psyche, she turned her gaze towards the view screen. She saw the craft was plunging towards a small dull red moon, at fatal speeds. Seven stared up at the Avian that perched on the sill of the view screen seemingly unmoved by the ship's death throes.

He stared at her with those ancient knowing eyes, a distant yet somehow familiar kindness shorn from within their ice depths. For the briefest of moments, she felt something…else… an image as faint as smoke came to her in that moment. 'No' she thought to herself not an image, a feeling it was warm and comforting, she could almost see it…. almost touch it but then the moment was gone and she was dragged back to the present.

The shadows swept through the door of the bridge consuming everything it touched. Dead cold hands reached out of the shadows, clawing at her, dragging her down. There were hundreds, thousands of them pulling at her bio suit, ripping it from her body; metal rimed fingers tore into her flesh. She fought them with every ounce of strength she had, she kicked and punched and bit but the shadow forms took know notice.

She managed to free her human hand and reached out to Avian that still stared at her, his eyes full of regret. "Help….me…please!" she screamed as she submerged up to her breasts in the shadowy mass of Borg drones.

The Avian unfurled his great wings and flew at her screeching "Annika" The last thing she saw was the bird flying towards her, talons out stretched.

 **Cargo bay two**

Seven of Nine all but fell out of 'her' alcove in Cargo Bay Two. The faint green light emitted by the alcove's and other Borg tech in the room, did little to illuminate the vast cavernous bay which was full of neatly, stacked shelves full of creates and boxes of all shapes and sizes.

Seven scrambled as fast as she could on hands and feet, away from 'her' alcove and the four other alcoves that loomed over her. In an effect to stand up she lent her back against nearest row of shelves. Even with their support she struggled to stay upright as her muscles burned with exhaustion. The implants throughout her body pulsed painfully, each felt like a thousand burning hot needles tearing at her skin.

She had experienced these… she wasn't sure what to call them but whatever they were she had experience them five times over the last week ever since Voyager had entered a new sector of space. After the crew wasted nearly two and a half appeasing the bureaucratic governors of the B'omar alliance, Voyager had been allowed to travel with their space. Which the crew hoped to use to cut a month of the ship's journey to Alpha quadrant and to look for any useful resources left behind a futile task as the B'omar having stripped bare most of the planets and moons in this sector generations ago.

This time the delusions she experienced were different, this was the first them she had gotten to the bridge of the craft that plagued her regeneration cycles. This was also the first time these 'delusions' had affected her physically.

"Regeneration cycle incomplete" The computers dull female voice droned.

Seven barely heard the computers observation over her labored breathing, sweat stung her eyes. "Disengage…" she gasped out as her vision blurred. The room seemed to spin around her nausea twisted her stomach, something she had only felt once before when she had foolishly allowed Voyager's moral officer/cook Mr. Neelix to convince her to consume solid bio mater when her body was not yet used to eating.

Her heart felt like it might explode. Her trembling Borg hand came up to the small Comm badge pined to her bio suit just above her left breast. "Computer, activate emergency sight to sight transport, authorization Seven of Nine, Epsilon 125" she gashed out as her vision burled and swam. It took every ounce of her strength and concentration to keep the darkness that clouded her vision to calm her.

"Designate location?" the computer asked.

"Sick bay, energize!" Seven gasped out.

 **Sick bay**

The Doctor stood hunched over a series of microscopes and Petri dishes carefully studying the growth of a sample of spores that an away team had brought onboard two days ago, while he listened to subtly lilting tones of Garraysist-ly and the Plight of Peace as it built to its operatic climax. It was a twenty third century opera written by a relatively famous Ktarian playwright, Mardonashk. This was the Doctors first real foray into Ktarian music have being recommended a few artists by Samantha Wildman, her daughter was half Ktarian on her father's side, after he had made a comment in passing, during their last checkup, how he was starting to run out of human operas to listen to.

While he had been reluctant at first to go outside his usually tastes. A mixture of curiosity and boredom soon compelled him to a least try it. Now Ktarian styles of music were among his favorites. He hummed jovially to the tune as it built and built while he studied the results of his latest test.

A smile built at corner of his mouth, if the results were accurate, which they most centrally were 'after all he was the one conducting the tests'. He was on the verge of a breakthrough in creating a whole new antibiotic. Beaming like a cat that that had caught a mouse, he cleared his holographic throat, a pointless gesturer being a hologram but it was all a part of the experience and he joined in on the sweeping aria.

The Doctor turned to face the empty sick bay, his half balding head gleamed under the overhead lights as started waving his hands about as if to conduct an invisible orchestra thankful that it was early in Voyagers artificial morning and no one was due for a checkup until 08:45. He had no wish to have any of the crew members mock him for his favorite hobby.

As he joined in the ballad he could image the opera's heroin the battle queen Garraysist-ly and her faithful companions battling the dread Lord Morrrallist's forces as a great storm batted the countryside. He briefly wondered if he should alter his appearance from his standard dark blue uniform to better suit the opera.

Before he could seriously consider that errant thought he was suddenly interrupted by unmissable hum of a transport. Annoyance briefly crossed his lined face. 'If this was Willian Telfer again, using the transporter, to satisfy yet another of his hypochondria episodes.' Then the Doctor was going to have a few choice words with that Captain about restricting Mr. Telfer's access to the sight to sight transporter'. However it wasn't Willian Telfer who materialized in the room as the beam's light faded away it was Seven of Nine. She stood there for a second before her tall form started to topple over.

The Doctor ran over, managing to catch her just in time to stop her from falling face first into the floor. As he held her he couldn't help but feel tremors running though her body. Her eyes were wide and full of panic; she was obviously having trouble breathing. He immediately placed her on the nearest bio bed. He picked up a tricorder from a nearby table and quickly ran over to the nearest replicator.

A few moments later the machine materialized a small silver vile full of sedative specially designed for Seven's unique physiology. Standard Federation treatments had little to know effect on her, the nano probes in her blood steam adapted to verity any compound extremely quickly, flushing them from her body before they could do much if any good. He loaded the sedative into a hypo spray and pressed it into her supple neck. He breathed a sigh of relief as she began to stabilize. He belatedly noticed his opera's swelling music was still playing. "Computer Disengage Garraysist-ly and the plight of peace" he commanded, the computers only response was a loud beep as it cut the music.

While Seven of Nine lay on the bio bed recovering; he scanned her again. Her readings were already improving. It never ceased to amaze him how quickly she recovered from trauma. However the data he'd gathered troubled him, huge portions of her Limbic system along with a number of the systems within her cortical node were a in a state of hyperactivity. The reading from her Hippocampus and Hypothalamus were especially worrying. They were the parts of the brain that were the most responsible for controlling emotion and memory recall, respectable.

The readings indicated she had suffered a mild panic attack caused by a serve nightmare, though, he was still trying to make heads or tails of the reads he got from Seven's cortical node but whatever it was doing it didn't seem to be causing any severe problems as far as he could tell. He refocused on the Hippocampus, it was extremely unusual for it to be this active during a panic attack. It was the brains memory bank. While his reading indicated she had a night terror that still didn't account for this level of activity.

While the Doctor puzzled over the tricorder readings, Seven stiffly pushed herself off the bed and shakily stood up. He looked up in time to put a steading hand on her shoulder as she nearly lost balance and fell down. "And where do you think you're going?" the Doctor asked as he guided her back to the bio bed. He crossed his arms over his chest and giving her his best stern stare.

Hesitation then defiance quickly flashed over Seven's normal stoic features before she compelled her wayward emotions into compliance. She was unsure as to what had compelled her to try and remove herself from the Doctor's care; she was clearly in no state to leave. "I was merely going to return to cargo bay two and analyses my alcove and attempt to correct whatever malfunction has caused my present condition" she told him plainly.

The Doctor shook his balding head, the lines on his face deepened with concern. "An A for effort Seven but I don't think your alcove had anything to do with this," He told her sternly. "According to my data you had panic attack… Which I suspect was brought on by a severe night terror" he said showing her the data pad which she quickly read and handed back to him.

"Your instruments must be mistaken" she told him with a small shake of her head. "While this panic attack…" Seven said shakily. "Was…distressing" she admitted quietly as faint images and emotions played at the edges of her mind. "Borg, do not experience neither dreams nor these night terrors you speak of. The Collective would not allow any such distractions to contaminate the hive mind." She told the Doctor with certainty.

He rolled his watery brown eyes in irritation at her dismissal. Though Seven had certainty made promising progress in month and a half, since she had be freed from the Collective's influence. It was evident she still had a long way still to go before she truly accepted her humanity. Clearly one of her biggest hurdles was that she still clung to the belief that she still as infallible as she 'believed' she had being under the Collective's control. "Well that may be true with in the Collective but these read outs don't lie!" he told her firmly. "You're going to have to realize sooner or later that the Collective isn't going to help you any more if 'they' ever did!"

She stared at him, her blue eyes blazed with defiance's. "I am well aware of that fact Doctor!" she snapped. Her anger at her early weakness had gotten the better of her before she could rain in her emotions. She saw alarm fill the Doctors face and she immediately regretted her words. "I… apologize, Doctor. You are merely trying to assist me. It has been difficult to process these recent experiences." Seven said quietly.

The Doctor sighed "and I'm sorry too" he told her earnestly. His eyes widen as he caught on to her slip, "Recent experiences?" he echoed suspicion filled his voice. While she could have being referring to her transition from a drone to her new found individuality. Something in her tone made him think otherwise. "Seven has this happened to you before tonight? And you haven't told anyone about it?" he asked.

She shifted uncomfortable under his gaze. She had not wished to alert anyone to the 'stimuli' that had plagued her during her recent regeneration cycles, believing that it was a minor fault that she could correct. All her efforts to put an end to the 'stimuli' had failed. Instead these…dreams… were grown increasingly stronger and more vivid. Now they even affected her outside of her regeneration cycles, she could no longer face them alone. She breathed an irritated sigh. "You are correct Doctor this is not the first time I have experienced these… night terrors. Over the last week I have expanded similar repeating stimuli with my regeneration cycles." Seven told him honestly.

The Doctor pinched his brow in dismay. "And why pray tell didn't you come to me sooner?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest.

The implant that replaced her left eye brow slightly twitched upwards. "Is it common practice for members of this crew to inform you of stimuli they experience while they are asleep?" Seven retorted.

"No" he emitted curtly "but by your own emission Borg don't dream." He told her before tacking a calming breath, a pointless gesture given his holographic nature but it helped to cram him down. "I know we didn't get off to best start when we first met…" he said trailing off as he thought back to those tortures days little over a month ago. Things had being at their worst. His complete inability to halt his former nurse Kes metamorphism into something 'else' and Seven's initial refusal of treatment. Even know her reemerging biological systems were at the time killing her.

The shame he still felt over the part he played in enforcing the Captain's orders to return Seven to as close to human as possible still burned with in him. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind for the moment there was no point pouring salt into that wound, what was done was done and Seven needed him in the here and now. "You're going to have to eventually start trusting me Seven!" he told her breathlessly, his face turned red with annoyance. "Especially when it comes to something like this, what if this is had serious like a malfunction and you didn't tell me about it until it was too late?" he asked. He saw she wasn't going to budge on this so he change tack "but let us not get bogged down. How about you describe what you have being experiencing in these night mares?" the Doctor asked.

The bottom of her mouth twitched with a slight frown at his request "I fail to see how relaying experiences within my dreams could be of any benefit?" Seven asked as the Doctor scanned her, a slightly puzzled expression formed on his artificially aged face.

The Doctor shook his head. "On the contrary Seven, there have being a multitude of studies that have shown that discussing ones dreams can be quite beneficial," He told the doubtful woman earnestly. "And besides if these nightmares have been interrupting your regeneration cycles and have begun to affect you physically. I can't in good conscience leave them unaddressed"

"Very well Doctor" Seven conceded. Her every effort to counter these dreams on her own had failed. Perhaps an unconventional approach would be warranted. "How shall we proceed?" she asked.

The Doctor beamed at her, glad that she saw reason. At times she could be extremely stubborn, her Borg upbringing made her doubtful of any council he or Captain Janeway gave her. He was glad she had put her doubt aside for her own good at least for now. He couldn't help but hope that, 'This may even be to door way to get her to open up to her humanity.' Which she had being reluctant to say the least, to do so far. He cooled his excitement reminding himself of the old human proverb 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. "First you may want to get changed" he said indicating her sweat drenched bio suit. Seven looked down at herself seeming to only now notice the state of her bio suit.

She stood up and started to remove her bio suit, the Doctor's face stopped her, his face having turned an odd shade of red and guided her to one of the small changing rooms at the back of sick bay. She quickly dressed in one of the silver colored medical bio suits that the Doctor kept on standby. Once she was dressed the Doctor brought her to his office and prompted for her to take a sit in one of the large cushion chair's facing his desk. After some gentle prodding she obliged, setting down to perch on the very edge of the chair itself. She was still unused to this siting action.

The Doctor attached a class two bio reader to her human arm to measure her vitals before sitting down on his own chair, facing her. Excitement filled his face as he took up a data pad, undoubtable readying to take notes of whatever she said as well as her bio readings. She felt her human eyebrow twitch upwards at his behavior. 'The Doctor was truly a strange being.' She thought to herself.

"Are you sitting comfortably?" he asked but before she could reply "good then let us begin" The Doctor stated.

Seven felt a small almost inaudible sigh leave her. This as her coworkers might say 'was going to be a long day'. The Doctor soon barraged her with questions ranging from her work habits, to any confrontations she had with crew. At one point he asked if she had changed her diet recently, seeming to forget she had only started eating little over a week ago. Fortunately he seemed to realise, his mistake and refocuses on the task at hand.

His eye brow rose steadily upwards as he looked over the data that the bio reader steadily fed him "Huum…looks like you have a slight increase in nano probe production! Does that usually happen when drones…I mean former …has interpreted regeneration cycles?" the Doctor muttered as he read though his data pad.

She poured though the portion of Borg Collective memory still stored within her mind, searching for the answer to the Doctors question. "I am as unaware of any such alterations within, former Drones biotechnology as you Doctor." She told him coolly. "The Collective doesn't make a habit of studying former drones that return to the Borg. They are merely re-assimilated and their knowledge and experiences, adds to the Collective," Seven told him without feeling. Before he had the chance to ask how she felt about this, she continued. "A drone's nano probes production can be temporarily increased but such methods are mainly used when drones are near the end of their physical service to the Collective to maximize their productivity before they are recycled. Drone's that have also come in contact with a unknown or harmful agents can also have their nano probes increased to fight of any infection that may threaten their fellow drones but if no solution can be found and the risk is to high, then those affected drones are compiled to self-terminate" she said wondering why her own nano probes production to increase.

The Doctor frowned at her detachment to the horrific nature of the Collectives disregard for life, even that which served with in 'it'. He supposed that was only natural for her to put a certain amount of distance between her fledging humanity and her Borg upbringing. If she didn't she would have been crushed under the weight of the Collectives atrocities, though he doubted it was a conscious action on her behalf as she had yet to develop a sense of shame or gulit towards her former existence, more likely it was a byproduct of the Collectives own lack of morality. "And your dreams?" he prompted gently.

Seven let out a long breath as a painful headache began to build. She ignored it as best she could, fortunately the Doctor didn't seem to notice. "As you wish" she said taken another deep breath. "I am always on a federation ship heading to some unknown destination at high warp. At first I believed it to be Voyager but the technology I have observed onboard is obsolete. My surroundings warp and change around me almost constantly. The Federation craft, transforms into a Borg vessel which then becomes a derelict craft." Seven said unable to stem the feeling of dread which soon penetrated her being as she recalled that unreal place, making her head ach pond all the harder. The Doctor reached forward and gave her human hand a comforting squeeze.

She instantly pulled her hand away from his. She was not still used to the sensation of touch, nor did she fully understand the human compulsion to touch everything, that same compulsion had obviously been programmed into the Doctor. "I am being chased relentlessly by a formless shadow…there are things inside …they appear to be Borg drones but they are mere extensions of the darkness. The shadows call out to me by both my human name and, Borg designation. I feel fear…they going to hurt me." She continued her voice began to quake.

The Doctor gave her a kind smile "It's perfectly understandable to afraid of the Borg, Seven" he told her kindly.

"But I am Borg" she stated firmly shaking her head. "They would not hurt me…" Seven told him quietly unable to muster up her usual confidence in that statement. Until a few days ago the mere idea of being afraid of the Borg would have being a concept too alien for her to comprehend but since these dreams started her certainty of that her previous existence wound have been preferable to the one that she was now forced to occupy, had be badly shaken. "I confront the shadowy forms demanding identification...they give none. A large black male avian then, flies through the darkness dispelling it for a moment… he calls to me…I feel as if this avian knows me and somehow I know him…"she said trailing off.

The Doctor couldn't hide the surprise that filled his face. "Well…That's a very… specific detail." He stated unsure what to make of that. "What happens next?" he asked, not wanting to lose their forward momentum.

She refocused herself, "The shadow forms reconstitute themselves and continue to chase me throughout the interior of the craft." She took a breath as the headache continued to build within her skull.

The Doctor noticed her winch. "Headache?" he asked, she was obviously surprised that he had seen through her stoic mask. He studied the readout of her bio feed, on his data pad for a moment. "Huum How that's strange I could have sworn that I calibrated this for your physiology…ah I see the problem the increase in your Nano probe production confused the senses…no matter easily fixed" he stated calmly before reprograming his instruments and preparing hypo spray and pressing it into her neck. "Now where we?" He asked.

Seven let a small breath as she felt the pain fade away. "I was being chased…" she continued before interrupted by a beep of her Comm badge, the Doctor looked annoyed at the interruption but before he could protest, she pressed the badge. "Seven of Nine here" she stated coolly.

"And a good morning to you too Seven!" came the dry husky voice of Voyagers Captain, Kathryn Janeway, a note of sarcasm colouring her voice. "I hope you haven't forgotten to meet me on holo deck two?" she asked with a tone that suggested amusement.

Seven felt a small sigh of irritation escape her. The Captain's attempts to 'encourage her humanity' by having her gain an interest in holo programs had increased dramatically over the last two weeks. Obviously her previse failures to conduct herself within the parameters of these holo programs had evidently not discouraged in this belief, much to her chagrin. "I have not forgotten Captain" she said curtly "I was merely delayed by an unexpected medical situation"

"Are you all right? Is the Doctor there with you?" Captain Janeway said surprise and censure filling her voice.

"I am Captain and you needn't worry, it is only minor issue with Seven's regeneration cycles" the Doctor told the Captain confidently. Doctor saw a slight questioning expression crease Seven's mismatched eyebrows. Before she could interrupt him he put a finger to his lips, he hoped she had being around the crew long enough to know what that gesture meant or failing that caught his meaning. "I was just finishing up her exam, she'll be a long shortly" he told the Captain.

"Very well, I will see you soon then Seven, Janeway out" the Captain stated before the Comm line beeped signalling it being cut.

She couldn't hide the confusion that filled her face "Doctor I don't understand why did you not inform the Captain of my condition?" Seven asked curtly.

"Firstly Seven, a little thing called Doctor, Patient confidentiality, you have as much right to privacy regarding your health as anyone else…even if you as the patient don't have a concept of it yet" the Doctor trailed off, his face flushed red as he thought back to an incident a few weeks ago were Ensign Tabor had walked in on Seven changing bio suits. "Secondly do you really want the Captain bombarding you with questions about your night terrors?" he asked coolly. She subtly shook her head, confirming his statement. "I know you're not exactly thrilled by our holo programs but joining the Captain might be just what the Doctor ordered…No pun intended" he told her with a slight smile. If the confusion that filled her face was anything to go by, his joke had obviously gone over her head. "Getting a little distracted by the holodeck might take your mind off these bad dreams for a while"

Seven frowned but considered the Doctor's words but had to agree with his sentiment. "Perhaps that has some merit" she stated coolly. "But how will I rid myself of these nightmares?" she asked.

"Seven there is no getting rig of night mares, no magic pill or hypo spray to make them go away there a part of life" He told her kindly ".….at least those of lucky enough to be able to dream." He said a note of quite resentment darkening his mood. He tried to shake himself of the ill mood that always seemed to well from some dark corner of his 'soul' when she so readily dismissed her humanity. The Doctor knew he shouldn't be resentful of Seven's resistance to the human experience's she had forced into having but he couldn't help it sometimes, despite all his advantages and enhancements over his fellow holograms there were and likely would always be limitations he would have to endure. Seven on the other hand how had the opportunity to do and experience things he never could but instead she pushed them away as if they were some toxic substance. He felt ashamed of that resentment, Seven had never asked for this happen to her. He and the Captain had forced her into it and he could only imagine what it had be like for her having being locked away in the brig for nearly a week, her only company the ever stoic pair of Lieutenant Ayala and Lieutenant Anderson and now been stuck be these night terra's only little over mount after she and joined the crew, who the hell was he to feel resentment towards her for that. "After all night mares can be conceded the sub conscience's mining canary" the Doctor told her, burying his resentment under a tick blanket of guilt.

"Mining canary? I do not understand" Seven stated confused once more.

"Oh right of course!" His eyes widen as he realised his mistake. "Well on Earth before the invention of mechanical mining machines and safety equipment and measures. Miners would often bring these small colourful birds called canary down into the mines with them. In essence they were used as a primitive early warning system. Because of their sensitivity to the poisons gases that were often trapped under ground. If the bird suddenly died, that often meant that the gases were in the area and the miners could get out before it was too late…" the Doctor told her.

"A, crude but logical safety precaution, many non-sentient life forms are likewise sensitive to such dangers" Seven commented without emotion.

"True" The Doctor stated unable to hide the surprise that filled his artificial face. "I wouldn't think the Borg would pay that much attention to animals? Did you recognize the black bird in your vision?" He asked quickly.

"You are quite correct Doctor the Borg do not consider animal life relevant, though we…I mean, they have gained some advances through dissection to replicate their natural abilities within Drones. However the Collective has not done this for hundreds of years," she told him coolly. "As for the avian within my dreams… it did seemed familiar to me but I'm unable to place it…" Seven said hesitation filling her voice, "but I believe we have gotten off topic." She informed, though she had not known the Doctor long she had learned that it was best to keep his mind forced, in less one wanted half a day to go by thanks to the Doctors predisposition towards irrelevant conversations, something some of her colleges had of handily referred to as his 'babble setting'. "You were informing me how these night terrors may in some way be beneficial to me?" She asked wishing to get the Doctor to done with this exam, she had a lot work to do today and had already made allowances within her perfectly ordered schedule today, for Captain Janeway and her holo programs but with this unexpected visit to sick bay she would likely have to work beyond her usual shifts. Although perhaps that may have being an advantage in disguise as it would delay her regeneration circle and the nightmares that lay with in.

"Oh yes sorry" the Doctor said with a slight blush as he had gone on one of his tangents again. "To get to the point of the matter is that these nightmares are your subconscious way of trying to telling you that there is something at some level, that's bothering you. And you're going to have to confront it" he told her solemnly.

"I assure you Doctor there is nothing…bothering me!" she told him sharply, her brow furrowed with irritation "but even if there was and all you have said is true and I confront this subconscious flaw and correct it. Will I be free of these dreams?" Seven asked agitation filling her voice.

The Doctor sighed sadly as he watched Seven close herself from her human side. "There's no easy answer to that Seven." He said solemnly he saw anger briefly furrow her brow. He cleared his throat reading himself for what he had to say next, which he wasn't looking forward to. "Seven you're going to have to realize that in your existence as a Borg drone you were traumatized for over eighteen years and now with your human side reawakening your becoming more and more aware of that fact." He told her gently "Even if you deal with whatever is causing these nightmares, that might not be the end of it. This might just something you have to life with"

Seven couldn't suppress the swell of anger that boiled up from within her. "Is it not enough that I am reduced to this flawed existence because of this crews meddling in affairs its dose not understand? Now I must live with the possibility of being tormented by these illogical images for the remainder of my life?" she spate angrily standing up from the chair quickly, a sudden pain twisted at one of the implants in her lower back but she ignored it. As alarm, shock and regret filled the Doctors face she immediately regretted her anger words. It shocked her that hateful bile still dwelled with in her. She thought that she rid herself of that ugly emotion but she was obviously mistaken. "…I am sorry Doctor that was uncalled for" she said quietly.

The Doctor stood up and removed the bio reader from her arm. "Seven there's no need to be sorry it's perfectly natural to be angry over things, we have no control over. But I promise you that we work though this together," He told her kindly. "I have quite a few appointments today but I'll start engineering a theta suppressant for you right away. If nothing else that should hopefully give, you a nightmare free regeneration cycle tonight. Just be sure to come by at the end of your shift"

"I will" she told him curtly nodding her appreciation "Thank you Doctor" Seven said before leaving the sickbay to meet Captain Janeway at Holodeck one. She couldn't help feel the headache that had pained her only moments ago, return worse than before while an irritating itching seemed to surround a number her implants. She was used to such slight irritations and ignored them as she left the sickbay and the Doctor behind. Neither of them noticed the skin of her implant free hand starting to lose it pinkish hue and a slight grey tint color finning her veins looking like a small star shaped bruise was forming on her hand.

Next chapter: the Parting vail

AN: I planned to post this near Halloween 2015 but sadly I ran out of time. I hope that you all enjoyed this story it has being kicking around in my head since I first started reading Fan fictions especially some of the great retellings of the session four episode, The Raven. The next chapters name may change in time if I think of a spookier title. I'll take suggestions.

Hopeful this new shorter Fan fictions will sever me well in the future, if you feel so inclined please leave a review they really help me out.

Recommendations

Baby steps by Scifiromance: Sam Wildman needs some help to watch over her daughter Naomi and very tired Chakotay volunteers his service's and gains some unexpected insight into Voyagers newest member to their dysfunctional family, Warring extreme cuteness and AWWW factor. One shot.

Contrary by Teya: a few months have passed since Voyager returned to Earth and Seven of Nine and Chakotay's relationship has being going strong, until an another curve ball is though their way. When Chakotay is stuck by sudden and serve night terrors. Dealing with these mean's returning to were his journey first began all those years ago. A beautiful story about family, companionship and returning to ones roots. Ongoing

Cardassian Dissonance by the Cheshire Cheese: Natima Lang reflects on those she has lost her home world, her family and her prised student and friend Tora Ziyal. A great emotional story full of loss and reflection. One shot.

Speed and Water by Sweeterthansugar: Barry Allen as fought and met many meta-humans in his new double life as the Flash. When he meets a young woman with control over water has he finale made a friend and ally against the seemly never ending tide of super villains that plague central city or is she a wolf in sheep's clothing? And what is her connection to another meta-human with power over ice? An extremely fun and fast paced story full of excitement. Complete story.


	2. Capter 2 Hunted Ecoh

On Raven Wings Chapter two

Haunting Echo

AN: I do not own Star Trek and even if I did, I wouldn't know what I would do with it. I had my fellow fan fiction writer Scifiromance's, store "true love" in mind while writing this story. Please check out her fan fictions they all are great.

I don't own Star trek other people do.

* * *

"After all what is a ghost but a bad memory that refuses to be forgotten" Moarte, Lewis Lovhaug, Atop the forth wall, long box of dammed.

Haunting Echo

* * *

Seven sighed as she stepped up to large double doors of Holodeck two which opened as she approached within their limited scanning range. The fascination the Voyager crew had with inserting themselves with in Holographic settings had puzzled her for some time. Her thoughts on the matter were cut short as the Computers dull emotionless female voice spoke.

"Enter when Ready"

A dull amber light and air several degree's warmer than the average temperature of Voyager's atmosphere washed over her as she stepped over the thresh hold and into the Holodeck program beyond.

She found herself in a large but primitive dwelling. For a moment she believed that Captain Janeway was going to subject her to the 'Viking' simulation again. Seven was thankful that she wasn't surrounded by the overly loud and easy excitable raiders and perhaps she was even more grateful that was she not going to be subjected to the Captains 'Lady of the Manor' program either, were a murder mystery had taken place as the plot. That may have possibly being even more irritating then the Viking simulation. There at least with that program an argument for realism could be made, though she doubted it.

While the Captains Victorian gothic inspired Manor program could make no such boast, at least at first. Unfortunately her own research into the matter after the fact had proven that the program had being quite accurate to its setting in Earth's history.

Captain Janeway had insisted on a multitude of strict counterintuitive if not completely counterproductive rules and regulations for conduct and edict. Especially once the pilot of the program finally reared its head, after nearly two hours of mind numbing tedium. As the holograms pranced about in complete impractical dress and insisting upon the most insipid of conversations and small talk.

Neither of which she was particular skilled in as the intricacies of verbal commination especial when said commutation was of a trivial nature was still quite new to her. Why hadn't see taken Commander Chakotay warring? To in his wise words 'make herself scarce' When she mentioned the Captains plans to subject her to said 'Lady of the Manor program'. The Commander had admitted that Captain Janeway had dragged him to the same program early whit in Voyagers first year when the bonds of both his Maquis cell and her Star fleet crew were still relatively untested. Apparently he had made a point to avoid the any future inventions to join the Captain in her…fun.

Perhaps she should have taken that advise to day and made herself scarce, she made a mental not to try in the future. Through perhaps a trivial destination would assist her today in riding herself of the hunting echo of the nightmare that still lingered, as if something ghostly and forgotten was reaching out to her even now in the waking world.

Captain Janeway had told her which she had commented that such a lengthy build up was essential when participating in a murder mystery. It was her opinion that if all of these murder mysteries were as simple to solve as the one in presented in that holo programme, Seven could only guess how the genre had become as prolific in human culture as Captain Janeway had claimed.

With the use of simple deductive logic that even she with her underdeveloped understanding of humanity had access and the use of her ocular implant, she was able to discover both the murder and his motives in four minutes and twenty two seconds, after the first victim had be killed.

The murderer one governor Wrath Bottom, shocked at the discovery of his crime had sought to silence her and the Captain. However when he tried to attack them Seven had simple picked him up by the throat and tossed him through the nearest window and as they had being on the fourth storey of the Manor the fall had being fatal for the hologram. The Captain was not pleased by this disruption to her plot as Wrath Bottom was supposed escape when the Lord of the Manor came to their rescue and would become something of an ongoing antagonist for another five chapters of the program.

However the program she now found herself in was clearly different from her past experiences. The room was about the size of Voyager's own cargo bay if not larger with verity ever available space was filled with tables, chairs, benches, drawers and other furniture all of which were over flowing with paintings, pots, sculptures, books and scrolls of every size and description. Not to mention a number of objects that were far harder to identify with a cursory glance, all of which were in various stages of completion or abandonment.

Seven scanned the densely packed room which seemed to be the very definition of organised chaos for the Captain. She soon spotted Captain sitting down at a large table working on what looked like a crude rendition of a head made out of clay. "Captain I have arrived as requested" she stated simply as she approached the other woman.

Captain Kathryn Janeway looked up from her sculpture and gave Seven a warm smile. "You know Seven. You don't have to make it sound like you've be sentenced to the gallows" Janeway told her with a smirk.

Seven raised her human eyebrow; she had found that individuals responded best to physical displays of emotion, in this case confusion. "Gallows?" she asked unsure.

Kathryn grimace "Oh right I guess you wouldn't know…." She trailed of wiping her hand on a nearby cloth. "They were used as rather cruel capital punishment throughout Earth's history. It was a punishment for any number of crimes ranging from highway robbery, murder, rape and treason among other crimes. Criminals would be marched onto a wooded stage with a trap door built into it. The executors would get a rope and tire one end of in to a hoop shape called a Noose and wrapped it around the Criminals neck. The other end of the rope would be connected to scaffolding or crane. The executioners would then pull a leaver and the trap door would open under Criminals feet and the tension of the sudden fall would either snap the criminal's neck or they would slowly suffocate them as the rope cut off their air supply." Janeway told the younger woman looking for any sign of disgust or revulsion but Seven's face like always difficult to read.

She only nodded her understand "A crude device, I assume these gallows were often placed in public spaces and a spectacle made out of the punishment as to instil obedience and fear into the population in order to maintain order?" Seven asked her tone just as unfeeling as if she was relying data from a mundane report.

"Yes they were." Janeway stated a little unnerved by the former drone's disregard of such a horrible fate and her seeming interment knowledge of how the gallows and other public capital punishments were used to keep people inline. "I didn't think the Borg wouldn't find information on how old Earth punishments very relevant"

"They would not Captain" Seven eyed the Captain coolly "but I can assure you, humanity is not alone in its use of such methods." She informed her voice dry as she looked of a scroll of paper depicting a form of primitive tank that was shaped like dish which had being put upside down, its flaws were many. "thirty two percent of species the humanoid series the Borg have encountered with in the last one hundred years, still use similar measures to keep their populations docile" Seven told her dispassionately as she studied some more of the scrolls of paper, she looked away from the scroll to meet the Captains scaling gaze. "Most species desire order, Captain and such means to maintain their flawed idea of order"

Kathryn was annoyed by Seven's rather pessimistic outlook and crossed her arms over her chest. "I suppose you think that means we all have that in common with the Borg. That desire to have order at any cost and the motivation to do anything no matter how tortures and oppressive it is to justify that's stance…..That the means justify the ends" she shot back.

Seven regarded the other woman coolly "Are you implying that existence with in the Collective is tortures and oppressive?"

Kathryn couldn't believe Seven's gall. She had though the younger woman had come further than that. She stood up from her chair. "And you wouldn't?" Janeway asked hotly.

* * *

She was about to retort 'of cause not' when her gazes settled upon a large winged frame about the size of a man, hanging from the wall. Imagers of the vessel that hunted her nights came rushed into her mind. The whispering clawing shadows, the metal clade drones and last but no mean least the black bird. Its cry chilling her to the bone, she felt a pain surge in her human hand which took a few moments to suppress.

Kathryn had noticed the younger woman's gaze had become transfixed on the Leonardo da Vinci flying frame that hung along one wall, looking like a huge bird that had being pinned to the wall with its leathery wings splayed. It was only than she noticed Seven looked particle pail and more than a little grout today. Dark bags hung under Seven's sky blue eyes which themselves where glassy. "Seven are you ok?" Kathryn asked concerned her early hostility fell away in an instant.

She nodded slowly "I… am experiencing some discomfit lately likely due my inability to complete a regeneration circle in the last few days." Seven told the other woman.

Kathryn grimaced, she should have picked up on Sevens now obvious discomfit but somehow it had escaped her notice. Though in her defence she had only returned two days ago after she, the newly promoted Lieutenant commander Tuvok her ever faithful left hand and Neelix had spent nearly two weeks talking to the uptight bureaucratic representatives of the Bo'mar alliance. Both Neelix and Seven of Nine had warned her of the insane backwards bureaucracy of the Bo'mar alliance. However Neelix had only being able to gather second hand hear say since he had taken up position as Voyagers ambassador shortly after their escape from Borg space and offcourse she trusted Seven, with her technic and scientific genius.

However the former drone still had a long way to when it came to her people skills, tact and her interpretation the data she retained on the thousands of species and cultures the Borg assimilated or otherwise had contact with. As she still processed a Borg centred mentality which made her dismissive of most other species.

However Kathryn had learned her lessen with the Bo'mar next time she would air on the side of caution the next time Seven spoke up. "Seven if you having problems you can always tell me, you know that right?" Janeway told her kindly. "You might need to day of to get some rest…"

"That will not be necessary Captain" she cut in sharply "…I would prefer to simply complete whatever activity you wish me to participate in so I may return to my work," Seven sated hoping that, Captain Janeway would not force the issue and order her back to her alcove. To the night mares that hid within ready to strike out from the shadows of her own weakness.

Kathryn put her hands on her hips not letting the matter drop "It's not a crime to take a day off every once in a while Seven and beside, I'm sure Harry and the Delany sisters can look after Astrometrics for a day." seeing the former drone was still not convinced she added "Even Tuvok has being known to take a day off every now and again and he's a Vulcan"

Seven frowned "I fail to see him having a day off, has anything to do with being a Vulcan," she stated tilting her head in confusion.

Kathryn put up a placating hand. "Ok, ok I get it you like to work…but let me first show you around Maestro da Vinci's work shop!" Janeway told her as she guided Seven of Nine around the chaotic work shop. "Then you can pick any activity you like and once that's done I'll let you get back to your work…and besides you might even enjoy the distraction"

"The Doctor did inform me that some form of distraction may assist me" She admitted quietly.

Kathryn moved to put a confecting hand on Seven's shoulders but as the former drone took a sharp step back she quickly withdrew the hand realising that not only had she over step her bonds but Seven was clearly uncountable with physical touch. Which offcourse made sense as she being raised among the Borg were touch was properly reserved for assimilation, repair and likely disassembly. She was about to apogees for her forwardness but Seven seemed to sense the change in mood or her embarrassment and quickly spoke up.

"Captain you said this is Maestro da Vinci's workshop…I assume you mean Leonardo da Vinci, correct?" Seven asked as Captain Janeway regained her composer and happy started showing her around some half-finished paintings, blank canvases and his many inventions. Despite the clear and present flaws in many of them she had to say she was impressed by shear amount of devices and designs and other objects the man had created.

Kathryn's eyes gleamed and a smug smile crossed her face "That's right, I didn't think the Borg would know about Leonardo?" she stated.

"The Borg have assimilated many federation vessels and thus has knowledge of most if not all of Federations gathered scientific achievement and history, though I admit much of Humanities pre-warp history protonating to these art pieces has being deemed irrelevant." Seven told her simply. As she studied a parchment depicted one of the many flying vehicles Leonardo da Vinci had created throughout his life, this one was a blue print off the winged machine that hung from the wall. "This machine does not have the correct aerodynamics design too archive flight. It's designed to mimic flapping capacities of an avian." She stated coldly.

Kathryn nodded gravely slightly unnerved by Sevens comments. She felt a great swell of pity for those peoples, Species and cultures that had been fully assimilated into the Borgs hive mind, all their achievement's and history's that were not deemed relevant had being discarded. Their arts, music, unique expressions and outlook on the universe were wiped away. The Borg didn't just take away the bodies and minds of their victims they took their very souls. Would that happen to humanity to Earth? Would the Borg descend from the sky's one day and consume them, turn Earth into a blasted and raped landscape and condemn humanity to live and die at the command of the ever unfeeling will of the Collective. With effort she shook the dark thought from her mind but she knew that it would linger there, like a haunting echo of what could be.

"That's true I'm afraid, However Leonardo was eventually able to design a simple glider which took inspiration from hawks and eagles, were this was built flap like a bat or sparrow. Sadly he died before he was ever able to build it" Janeway said solemnly. "But Recently I was able to correct the hologram Leonardo and we are building a new proto type…maybe you would like to give us a hand. I'm sure building a glider using only using renaissance materials and tools would give even you a challenge"

Seven tiled her head "I do not understand Captain why would you feel the need complete the work of a man several centres removed from, yourself? You yourself said that this task has already being completed likely by mutable individuals both in a physical sense and in holo programs throughout the Federation if not the alpha quadrant. Thus this activity is not only completely irrelevant but would seem to defy the very notion of individuality." She said a frown of confusion pulled at her pail lips. "As this activity has likely already being completed to its highest possible stranded thus the activity is pointless"

Kathryn grimaced and put her hands on her hips, she had to admit she was a little disappointed that Seven didn't get it. "I know all that…But I do not see it like that, not at all!" she said glumly she saw the former drone was about to speak but she put up a hand to quite Seven for a moment. "I know that people have properly done have completed this flying machine countless times before me and will continue to do work on this machine or hell even this programme after I've completed it myself, maybe they will do it better than me or maybe they will fail." Janeway said a gleam in her eye as she gestured all around them.

She took a breath "But what they can't do is experience it the same way I do, or feel the way I feel about it. Everything we do Seven in our lives effort us and change us constantly, I'm not the same person I was four years ago and you're not the same person you were a month ago." Kathryn breathed as she warmed to her theme. "Every action, every experience adds to our individuality and changes our perspective. A flit of fancy or a random expression of imagination can inspire a new brilliant innovation that could change everything we know about the universe or it might just be a new type of toping on a pizza" Kathryn let out a small chuckle. She could Pratley see the wheels turning with in Seven's well-oiled brain as she tried to fallow her thought paten. "The point is this is my experience it's an expression of my imagination…Do you understand?" Janeway asked earnestly.

She conceded this for some time before answering. "I am uncurtained…perhaps as my understanding of individually grows and I continue …." She trailed of as she looked down and over her body, examining her tight red bio suit, her pail human hand and her Borg hand. She absently studied the silver metal vain that were grated onto the bone and flesh of her hand and wrist, an image flashed into her mind almost too quick even for her sharp mind to catch an image of a very simular hand reaching out of the dark and grape a child and pull her from her hiding spot. She failed to supress a shudder that ran through her body "… To adapt…but perhaps the glider can wait for another day?" Seven asked hoping that the Captain would not notice her distraction.

"Sure …of course Seven we can do anything that takes your fancy!" She put a smile on her face and gestured to the room. "So have you made your decision on what you want to try yet or do you have any more questions?" Janeway asked pleasantly.

"I only have one more question Captain" Seven asked earnestly as the older woman showed her around the work shop.

Kathryn grinned like a school girl "ask away!" she said beaming

"What is Pizza?" Seven asked her tone completely serious. She observed the as the Captains small rounded face turn a shade of bright red and she started making the oddest noise, she started to gasp for breath and tears ran down her face as she held her sides as if she was in pain. "Captain, are you unwell?" she asked getting ready to Comm the Sick by and ask for an emergence sight to sight transport.

Kathryn waved away the younger woman's concern. "… Sorry Seven I haven't laughed like that in a long time…I never knew you could tell jokes like that!" she gasped as breath filled her lungs and she supressed her rabid chuckling. She searched the former drones scared pail face for her be-willed facade to slip even an inch but it never came. Blood drained from her face and her heart sunk as her laughter died. A horrifying realisation took root in her mind. "Seven please tell me you remember laughter from before you were Assimilated?" she asked the younger woman only suck her head and Kathryn felt a piece of her soul die.

Seeing the Captain's face fill with horror Seven scanned the chaotic room for a project. Her gaze quickly fell upon the crude clay sculpture the Captain had being working on when she had entered the holo deck. "That!" She indicated the almost the sculpture. She hope picking something the Captain had already started would as the human saying went 'kill two avain's with one stone'. She hope picking the sculptor something the Captain had already started work on would not consume any more of her time than was completely necessary to complete the task and assist the Captain from recovering from any damage she and unconscious inflicted upon her.

She rubbed her hands together eager to move unto something else "Humm yes A good choice and a perfect way to invigorate you imagination… as a Michelangelo once said, _Every_ block of stone has a _statue inside_ it and it is the task of the _sculptor_ to discover it." Janeway said gleefully pushing her early horror at Seven's oblivious comment "or in this case clay… let me just get you a flesh block"

Seven grimaced at thought of starting from scratch. She was already running close to being late for her shift and this place and hers and the Captains conversation had brought up to many vivid reminders of her failed regeneration's of late and the haunting echoes of the Collective and her own delusion that resided with in. "Captain that won't be necessary, can we not simply finish the one you have already started?" she asked, the sound of a plea entering her voice.

Kathryn glared at the younger woman for a moment, she was about to rebuke Seven that just completing her sculpture was hardly the point, it was then she noticed the dark rings under Seven sky blue eyes. Was it just her imagination or was she paler than normal? It was obvious that whatever was affecting the former drone went beyond a lack of regeneration. She hadn't seen the other woman this unwell since the first few trying days after she had being freed from the Collective. "Ok we can do it the easy way this time but Seven next time no excuses I want you to create your own art not just finish someone else's."

"Understood Captain…" Seven said nodding quickly as she closed the distance towards the clay sculpture. "How shall I proceed?" she asked as she studied the crude rounded form that vaguely resembled a head. She was already regretting indulging the Captain with this task

* * *

"I'm so glad you asked that! First pick up the sculpting knife… be careful it's sharp…" Kathryn directed Seven to where she needed to cut the clay in order to get the right shapes out of it and how much pressure she needed to put on the cutting blade. She was quite surprised how quick a study the younger woman was cutting and moulding the clay with near seamless ease, the steadiness and certainty of her movements was something to behold. She quickly found while Seven was hesitant to create anything outlandish or indulge her imagination, the younger woman followed her instruction to a tee without comment. She was glad that Seven didn't need any more goading once she was committed to the task.

Shortly after cutting away the excess clay and moulding the features, turning the lump of clay into a more presentable and complete form. Thanks to manly to her superior hand eye coordination and limb control she started crafting and moulding a face out of the clay.

While Seven's attention was detracted to the sculptor, Kathryn gently probed the younger woman trying to get to the bottom of whatever was troubling her. She got very little out of the former drone. However she was able to pick up on some of the younger woman's unconscious tells. No easy task as she was almost as controlled in her mannerisms only ever showing the slightest hint of the emotional turmoil underneath her pale features. It was clear to Kathryn the former drone was afraid or at the least concerned about something but what she could not say.

"The task is complete" Seven said pulling herself away from the clay.

"So soon?" Kathryn asked blinking in astonishment as she studied the finished product. The head was rather simple and she doubted that sculpture would ever make its way into any art gallery or museum but for a first timer Seven had shown remarkable skill. While the out ward form of the bust was lumpy the facial features, were clearly masculine and bore something of a resemblance to Seven herself. Had the younger woman sculpted a half remembered family member her farther perhaps?

Kathryn had spent quite a while researching Seven's family, when the younger woman was first recovering from being severed from the Collective. While their face did seemed to resemble a few of the photos she had seen of Seven parents and grandparents she felt that asking the form drone weather her suspensions were correct and though her mind burned with curiosity she descried to air on the side of caution and not confront Seven about it. "That's quite good for your first time Seven though you didn't need to rush yourself it's only been ten minutes since you started" she complemented.

Seven frowned "I fail to see the point in this exercise time has being wasted, nothing more" she stated coolly turning her glaze from the sculptor to the Captain.

Kathryn shook her head "I have to disagree with you there Seven. I find sculpturing very relaxing and a great out let for my imagination. Sometimes I can spend hours at a time in here turning a lump of clay into something else."

She tilted her head and conceded that Captains words, stirred a realisation that the same applied to her. "Then sorely in a way I am like the raw clay Captain, in that my Borg identity is being cut away and I am being moulded into something new for your benefit" she stated dispassionately.

"Seven we've talked about this!" Kathryn told her emphatically. "you not…." She trailed of before she could elaborate Seven's Comm badge beeped.

"Seven of Nine here" She said quickly pressing the Comm badge attached to her bio suit just above her left breast.

"Good morning Seven, sorry to interrupt your holo deck time with the Captain…" the uncertain voice of Ensign Harry Kim filled the Comm line. "I just need a hand with some of the reading Astrometrics is giving me"

"Understood Ensign…she'll be right their…" Captain Janeway said with a sigh having activated her own Comm badge to get in on the conversation. She cut the line and looked the younger in the eye but neither of them said anything for a long moment. "Well talk about this latter Seven I promise but you better not keep Harry waiting" Janeway said with a small smirk.

Seven only nodded and looked like she was about to say something before she turned about face and marched out of the Holodeck and swiftly made her way to Astrometrics. After she left, Kathryn mulled over the swift turn in their conversation. Had she pressed to hard into whatever was bothering the younger woman? Or was brothering Seven, something of greater magnitude that the prude former drone woman would admit to?

Kathryn considered ordering the Doctor to tell her why Seven had gone to see him so early in the morning when she didn't have a medical exam today scheduled but dismissed the idea. The EMH would never betray the former drones trust innless it was for an emergency.

Perhaps Chakotay would have an insight to any problems the former drone may be having and Seven had mentioned that they'd had an interesting conversation. She hoped that Chakotay and Seven were finally starting to beyond their troubled first impressions.

* * *

It did not take long for Seven to reach Astrometrics although she was starting to reconsider her decision to not take a day off as both Captain Janeway and The Doctor had advised. As the headache that she had be suffering since she had all but fell out of her Alcove that Moring but had now bloomed into a full board migraine.

She kept on getting visual and auditory disturbances at the edges of her heighten senses, echoes of her recent night mares and they were growing stronger buy the minute however her attachment to her work and her need for purpose kept her from giving into her growing weakness. Cold and hot jolts of pain ran though her body just beneath her skin and no matter how hard she tried she could not supress the itch which inflamed areas of her skin and mussels. She had not felt pain like this since the first few days of after her disconnection from the Collective but this felt different.

The doors of Astrometrics opened for her and she stepped inside the dark room. The design of Astrometrics was unusual to say the least being shaped like an elongated semi-circle. Like cargo bay two a great deal of Borg technology was prevalent throughout the lab. The interlocking piping and other devices covered much of the left side of the room. To uninformed the mass of interlocking and complex technology looked a kin to a collection of dark coiling snakes and insects merged into one being, data nodes and retro fitted computer screens were all lit by a uniform pale green light.

The other side in contrast was dominated by clean and clear bright yellow light and Starfleet computers and key pads. Many of the bright screens showed a mixture filled with scrolling text and multi-coloured buttons which listed of links and functions.

In the upper most corner of the room, the floor rose to create a slightly raised dais were yet more hardware met creating the perfect combination of the two conflicting sides met. Far and away the most impressive sight the room had to offer was the massive screen that dominated the whole of the curved back wall.

It was a massive three dimension computerised display which could show every known star system and Steller phenomena that the delta quadrant with only 3.15%, possibility for error though Seven reflected that the longer she went with an update on her stored Borg data that margin for error would rise. Harry Kim worked at far left of the massive console his back to her.

* * *

At the moment it was not set to chart the most efficient course though this back water sector. Sevens gaze swept over the scene in an instant. She found herself oddly drawn to a small dull read moon orbiting the largest of three gas giants that dominated the system Voyager was currently moving through.

Seven stepped up on to the dais unable to take her eyes away from the dull red moon or deny strange sensation of familiarity this utterly relevant moon brought forth. A sudden pain and a flash of disjointed images scraped across her mind's eye as if someone had slammed a sliver of ice into her brain. "Ensign Kim you required my assistance?" she asked as she felt the pain inside her body increases a hundred fold yet she pressed on.

Harry grasped as he spun around to seen Seven standing there, her sky blue eyes staring of into the distance. "Seven! You nearly gave me a heart attack…" he trailed of as he noticed how much more paler then she usually was her skin was to the point where it was almost translucent. Heavy dark rings hung under her eyes and was it her imagination but 'were her eyes dilated and hair greying'. "Seven are you ok? You don't look well, like at all!"

She nodded trying to take her eyes away from the dull red moon but like a metal trapped in the grasp of a powerful magnet she could not move her gaze. "I've have had difficulty completing a regeneration circle in the last five days due to a series of night terrors I have being recently afflicted with"

"Oh that'll do it…. I had some sleepless nights after the first time I 'died'…" He laughed to try and lighten the mood but Seven was clearly not in the mood for his humour, not that she ever was or really understood humour anyway. Seeing her now he regretted bringing her here over some weird back ground signals that were messing with some of the sensors. "Look Seven why don't you go to the Doctor and see if he can give some delta blockers for your night mares, maybe chase it down with some warm milk and get a few hours. I can handle things here" Harry told her gently.

"I have already seen the Doctor about my…my…" she trailed of as the pain that had being slowly increasing within her exploded into full blow agony making her scream. All over her body Borg implants ripped through muscle and skin. They pushed aside bone in a mad dash to colonise her flesh. A circler wheel like implant burst through her human hand, dark metal vein's spread up the left hand side of her neck. A long black pipe ripped through her bio suit at her left shoulder and snaked over her body till it reached her thigh and were entered into the flesh beneath; several other implants tore holes through her bio suit seemingly at random.

A roar of chaotic disjointed images and sounds smashed into her mind like a sledge hammer.

Images of a girl with long blonde hair hiding under a console as Borg drones took her parent's away.

Row upon row of near identical beings filled endless dark corridors, sickly green light washed over everything.

The buzz of drills, saws and other tools as they rendered flesh and bone and replaced it with could unfeeling metal.

The girl screamed as tall faceless metal men gripped her.

The dull red moon and a piercing wail filled her mind utterly as a bird as black as the void of space and eyes of the purest blue flew at her screeching.

* * *

Shock and horror flew over Harrys face as new Borg Implants sprout all over Seven's body. He saw fear in her eyes as she wept as spasms of pain ran through her. He saw the fear disappeared as her eyes dilated then became pint point like a drug addict getting a new hit. "Ensign Kim to Security and the Doctor… there is something wrong with Seven , Borg implants, are sporting all over her…"

Though she tried to hold on to her fragile independent thought that she had come to know. She could not deny the all-consuming wailing chaotic call anymore then a human could deny the need to breathe even if they knew that the air was poisoned. "I must go they are calling me" Seven stated, she turned and started marching towards the door of Astrometrics.

Harry knew he wasn't the bravest or best man in the galaxy and he knew that the smart move, the Star fleet move would be to get out of the way of Seven of Nine and just let Security deal with her. He couldn't do that, Seven was his friend or at least he like to think she was. He summoned up a courage he didn't know he had and blocked her way. "Seven you're not well just wait here, the Doctor and the others are coming they will help you" he told her his voice pleading.

"Remove yourself from my path Ensign Kim. I do not wish to hurt you. I must go, they are calling me" Seven told him robotically.

He blinked as he met her gaze her "Your talking about the Borg an't you?" he Asked confused. "Seven the sensors would have picked up any Borg vessel, structure or an open to one of their Transwarp corridor's with a dozen light years of Voyager days ago. You know that! You helped my redesign our scanning systems… there isn't a single Borg with in four hundred light years of here" Harry told her hoping to get through to her or delay her long enough for Security and the Doctor to get here and preferable without being assimilated by her in the process.

Seven didn't say anything as she clasped Harry under his shoulders and picked him up effortlessly and walked with him held in her hands through the doors and into the hallway beyond. She placed him down before about facing and marching down the hall way and disappeared around the corner.

Harry felt puzzled as he checked himself over as Seven disappeared from sight. He wasn't hurt in the slightest he doubted he'd even had a bruise from where Seven had picked him up, hell his uniform was barley wrinkled. He had being on the receiving end of Seven's wrath once before, only a day after she had being freed from the Collectives grip. He knew she could have broken him in half if she wanted to or just assimilated but she hadn't. Even if there was a Borg ship nearby that they couldn't detect which was unlikely as the Borg weren't big on stealth. 'Something strange is happing and I need to find out what' he thought to himself before his comm badge beeped.

"Report Ensign" the firm Voice of Commander Chakotay came through the Comm line

* * *

Next chapter A faded grave.

Please review

PS this story was re-re-edited about and changed Bata editing half way though so if their any glaring spelling mistakes other otherwise crape grammar. I must apogees.


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